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MESSAGE  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 


Richmond,  Va.,  Febuary  3,  1863. 

To  the  House  of  Representatives: 

I  herewitk  transmit  a  communication  from  the  Secretary  of  War, 
in  reference  to  the  examination  and  appointment  of  ordnance  officers, 
being  a  response  to  your  resolution,  asking  for  information  upon  the 
subject. 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 


COMMUNICATION  FROM  THE  SECRETARY  OF   WAR. 


Confederate  States  of  America,  1 

War  Department,  \ 

Richmond,  Va.,  Fob.  2,  1863.      ) 

His  Excellency,  The  President  : 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  the  report  of  Colonel  J.  Go  rgas 
Chief  of  Ordnance,  in  response  to  a  resolution  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, with  regard  to  the  examination  and  appointment  of  ord- 
nance officers. 

Very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  A.  SEDDON, 

Secretary  of  War. 


KEI^OKT 


OF 


COL.-  J.  GORGAS,  CHIEF  OF  ORD.YANCE, 

In  response  to  a  resolution  (f  the  House  of  Represented ives,  with  regard  to 
the  examinaiion  and  appointment  of  ordnance  officers. 


Ori^xNance  Bureau, 
Richmond,  January  31,  1863. 

Hon.  J.  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary  of  War: 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  reply  to  the  resolu- 
tions of  the  House  of  Representatives,  a  copy  of  which  is  herewith 
encflosed : 

1st.  The  hoard  of  officers  referred  to,  have  reported  a  "roll  of 
merit,"  a  copy  of  which  is  enclosed. 

2nd.  The  roll  exhibits  the  arrangement  required  by  General  Order 
No.  68,  September  17,  1862,  as  Captains,  andFirstaud  Second  Lieu- 
tenants. • 

3rd.  But  three  appointments  have  been  made  from  this  roll,  two 
from  the  head  of  ihe  list  of  Captains,  and  one  standing  second  on  the 
list  of  First  Lieutenants,  the  latter,  at  the  rcque&t  of  this  bureau,  for 
duty  at  an  ar.scnal. 

4th.  That  part  of  the  second  branch  of  the  resolution  which  calla 
for  names  and  States  cannot  be  answered,  the  board  having  made  no 
report  of  the  names  and  residences  of  those  examined  and  not  passed. 
The  board  being  dissolved,  and  the  members  absent  on  other  duties, 
their  record  cannot  now  be  reached. 

For  the  further  information  of  the  House,  reference  is  made  to 
General  Orders  No.  12. 

The  relative  rank  of  those  already  appointed,  and  to  be  assigned  to 
duty  under  this  Order,  will  be  determined  when  examinations  are 
completed. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  GORGAS, 
Colonel  and  Chief  of,  Ord^icmce^ 


*'  Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  War  be  requested  to  inform  this 
House  whether  the  board  of  officers  appointed  by  General  Orders  Xo. 
68,  dated  September  17,  1862,  have  reported  a  *'  roll  of  merit  based 
upon  examination  and  testimonials  "  as  required  by  said  Order,  and 
whether  those  who  passed  the  examination  at  the  session  of  the.board, 
continuing  on  the  26th  September,  1862, were  "arranged for  appoint- 
ments as  Captains,  First  and  Second  Lieutenants,  according  to  merit" 
as  was  directed  by  General  Orders  Xo.  71,  of  September,  26,  1862, 
and  whether  the  appointments  of  ordnance  officers  since  made,  have 
been  made  '•  from  the  head  of  the  list,"  as  promised  in  said  last  men- 
tioned order,  and  if  not,  why  not  ?" 

Resolved,  also,  That  the  Secretary  of  War  be  requested  to  furnish 
to  this  House  a  list  of  the  applicants  examined  by  the  said  board, 
showing  the  States  from  which  they  come,  and  also  the  "  roll  of  merit " 
"  and  report  of  standing  made  by  the  board." 

Adjutant  and  Inspector  General's  Office,  > 
■Richmond,  Jan  28,  1863.      5 

GENERAL  ORDERS ) 
No.  12.  i 

I.  Candidates  for  appointments  of  artillery  officers  for  ordnance 
duty,  who  have  passed  their  examinations  at  the  headquarters  of  an/ 
array,  army  corps,  or  department,  may  be  placed  on  ordnance  duty  as 
acting  ordnance  officers.  The  number  so  placed  on  duty  shall  not 
exceed  one-half  of  the  whole  number  passed  there,  a«id  shall  be  taken 
from  the  head  of  the  list  without  reference  to  the  grade  for  which  they 
are  recommended. 

Acting  ordnance  officers  so  placed  on  duty,  shall  be  entitled  to  pay 
as  First  Lieutenants,  if  recommended  for  that,  or  higher  grade; 
and  as  Second  Lieutenants,  if  not  recommended  for  higher  grade. 

Commissions  will  be  issued  as  soon  as,  the  examinations  are  com- 
pleted in  all  the  armies,  and  will  be  for  grades  and  of  dates  to  corres- 
pond with  the  general  roll  of  merit  established  by  the  examiners. 

II.  The  Quartermaster's  Department  will  issue  to  officers  of  the 
army  on  duty  enrolling  Conscripts,  such  fuel  and  stationery,  within 
the  limits  prescribed  by  existing  regulations  for  allowances  to  public 
officers,  as  shall  be  certified  by  those  officers  to  be  indispensable  for 
the  proper  discharge  of  their  duties. 

The  legitimate  expenses  of  the  performance  of  such  duty  will  be 
paid,  in  the  case  of  enrolling  officers  not  commissioned,  upon  accounts 
approved  by  the  Commandant  of  Conscripts  for  the  State,  or  Com- 
mander of  Camp  of  Instruction.     By  order, 

(Signed,)  S.  COOPER, 

Adjutant  and  Inspector  General. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  names  of  those  candidates  arranged  in 
their  order  of  merit,  who  were  found,  in  the  opinion  of  the  board,  to 
be  deserving  of  appointments  as   Captains  and  First  Lieutenants, 


(Lieutenants  Sam  Schooler  and  James  Pleasant,  who  now  hold  com- 
missions as  First  Lieutenants  of  artillery  have  been  examined,  and 
are  respectfully  recommended  for  appointments  as  Captains) : 


Va. 


La. 

a 

Ala. 
Va. 


Captains. 

1  AVra.  Allen,  Ap. 

2  J.  C.  Little,  Ap. 

3  C.  Grattan, 

4  W.  Latham, 
J.  Dinwiddie, 
J.  G.  Clark. 
C.  L.  C.  Minor, 
H.  P.  Cochran, 

First  Lieutenants. 

1  J.  N.  Cullinsworth,      Va, 

2  J  as.  C.  Calhoun,        S.  C. 

3  W.  Fontaine,  Va. 

4  P.  Harrison, 
.5  J.  Morris,  Jr., 

6  W.  H.  Clark, 

7  G.  W.  Bassett, 

8  R.  C.  Wortham, 

9  J.  M.  Payne, 

10  G.  W.  Earle,  S.  C. 

1 1  n.  Danforth,  Va. 


12  W.  W.  Henry,  Va. 

Second  Lieutenants. 

1  J.  T.  Allyn, 

2  Wm.  Thurman, 

3  J.  T.  Walke, 

•1  N.  M,  Osborne^ 
5  M.  Wise, 
t)  n.  Higgason, 

7  A.  H.  Stevens, 

8  J,  Symmington, 

9  D.  Blain, 

10  J.  R.  Craighill, 

1 1  Thomas  S.  Galloway, 

12  A.  0.  Bacon, 

13  J.  Howard  Smith, 

1  i  Thomas  M.  Deane, 
15  W.  N.  Edwards, 
IG  N.  E.  Venable, 

17  R.  P.  Snowden, 

18  F.  M.  Colston. 


HolUnger  Corp. 
pH8.5 


